PRITI PATEL has been accused of bullying and creating an “atmosphere of fear” in the Home Office.
Reports said the home secretary was engaged in a “toxic clash at the top” and wanted to “oust her most senior civil servant”.
Sources in the department alleged that Patel bullied and belittled officials in meetings, and often made “unreasonable demands”, said the Times.
According to a report, Patel wanted her permanent secretary Sir Philip Rutnam expelled, as he raised concerns about the home secretary’s ways with the Cabinet Office.
A senior Whitehall source told the paper that the situation was “completely unsustainable” and set to “blow up”.
Patel’s allies, however, rejected the accusations. She had been a “demanding boss”, but never unreasonable, they said.
They also slammed Sir Philip, pinning him for Amber Rudd’s resignation over the Windrush scandal in 2018.
“The Home Office is dysfunctional and the current permanent secretary had presided over a sacking of a home secretary and accidental deportations,” said sources.
“If this were any other environment Philip Rutnam would not only be sacked he’d be denied a pension. The lack of accountability in the civil service is deeply troubling and the prime minister will not accept this in the long term.”
A former official defended Patel, saying she cannot be accused of making unreasonable demands.
The Home Office, after all, was a “big delivery department” that had to create a new immigration system in less than 12 months and hit ambitious police recruitment targets.
“She is working seven days a week. It is the nature of the job that some antisocial hours are going to be required,” the source told the Times.
The issue reached a crossroads when a senior Home Office official fainted after a cantankerous meeting with Patel.
The official had reportedly been working overnight to overturn a High Court ruling that barred deportation of 25 criminals to Jamaica. Patel allegedly confronted him on failing to reverse the ruling.
At a subsequent meeting, he collapsed and was rushed to a hospital, where he was found to have sodium deficiency.
Sir Philip had reportedly been writing about workplace stress to senior civil service members. He had stressed that “unrealistic work outside office hours” was unacceptable.
The Times said several sources told the paper that “a number of the Home Office clashes had involved demands from the home secretary, some of which were considered illegal by officials”.
“Sir Philip and [she] have fundamental disagreements about the rule of law,” said a Home Office source.
“He’s committed and she isn’t. She’s belittled him and caused consternation, and she frequently encourages behaviour outside the rule of law.”
Another source said she was rude and an “extraordinary person to work for”.
A Home Office spokesperson, however, said: “We have not received any formal complaints and we take the welfare of our staff extremely seriously.”
Business minister Nadhim Zahawi disputed the allegations against Patel. The Stratford-on-Avon MP said he knew her for 25 years and described her as a “brilliant and collegiate team player”.
To LBC presenter Nick Ferrari’s question whether Patel was a bully, Zahawi replied: “No, I don't think she is at all.”
He added that Patel was “utterly professional and works night and day to deliver for the country and her constituents”.
